Extra wide vertically sliding doors



Dec. 27, 1960 E. FIMBEL, JR

' EXTRA WIDE VERTICALLY SLIDING DOORS Filed Sept. 18, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOk. Edward F/ma/ J:

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EXTRA WIDE VERTICALLY SLIDING DOORS ZZA Sheets-Sheet 2 37 Lfl 45 1INVENTOR. fon/o/"a F/mbe/ dz ATTORNEY States Patent Ofiice 2,966,212Patented Dec. 27, 1960 EXTRA WIDE VERTICALLY SLIDING DOORS EdwardFirnbel, Jr., Scotch Plains, N.J., assignor to Overhead DoorCorporation, Hartford City, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Sept.18, 1959, Ser. No. 840,955

9 Claims. (Cl. 160-193) This invention relates to upwardly acting doorsand is particularly adapted to wide doors, that is, doors that aresubstantially wider than the average doors for garages and the like.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a relatively wide upwardly acting door comprising aplurality of horizontal articulated sections in which the door sectionare supported against buckline under the stress of or as a result oftheir weight.

Second, to provide a bracing means between adjacent horizontalarticulated hinged sections that resist the tendency to buckle under thestress of their weight or the lifting force applied to the lower sectionof the door.

Third, to provide a brace structure for relatively wide verticallyacting doors which strengthens the door against bowing due to the windstresses or loads and against buckling due to the direct load stress towhich the sections are subjected.

Fourth, to provide a bracing means for relatively wide upwardly actingsectional doors which strengthen the door against buckling withoutinterfering with the hinging and swinging relation of the sections toeach other as the door is raised and lowered on its supporting tracks.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary inside or rear elevational view of a verticalacting sectional door embodying my invention shown in relation to adoorway of a building, various parts being shown conventionally.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary outside or front elevational view of the doorassembly of Fig. l with the parts being shown mainly conventionally.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on a linecorresponding to line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View in vertical section illustrating therelation of the lower sections of the door and the tracks when inpartially open position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section corresponding generally to thatof Fig. 3 of a modified form or embodiment of my invention.

My invention is particularly desirable for use in wide upwardly actingdoors, that is, doors that are of substantially greater width than thosecommonly used, for example, doors in garages and the like. The applicantis aware that such doors vary somewhat in width but they are not of suchWidth as to result in a problem of buckling on their hinge connectionsor bowing as a result of stresses to which they are subjected inoperation or as a result of their own weight. However, there is aproblem of bowing and buckling in wide doors such, for example, as dOOrsfor aircraft hangers, factories, garages and the like where the doorsare designed to accommodate wide objects or a plurality of objects. Insuch doors the sections buckle or distort under their own Weight andunder the lifting stress of the hoisting cables and the door opening.

such stresses cannot be overcome by tracks at the end edges of the doorand it is not practical to provide intermediate vertical supportingtracks.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is an inside view of an horizontalarticulated or hinged sectional door, the door and associated parts ispartially broken away as the door may vary greatly in width.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a plurality of elongated doorsections 1, 2 and 3. Large doors to which my invention is particularlydesirable vary greatly in height and the result is that the doors arecommonly fabricated to meet particular requirements of length and heightas distinguished from what might be called standard doors.

At the sides of the door opening the wall 4 of the building is providedwith uprights 5 of angular cross sections which serve as supports forthe upright track sections 6 which are desirably inwardly inclined andmerge into the curved sections 7 which in turn merge into the horizontaltrack sections 8. The upper track sections 8 are supported upon thehanger beams 9 and the beams in turn are supported by hanger rods 10above The cable shaft 11 is disposed above the door opening and providedwith laterally spaced cable winding drums 12.

In this embodiment means are provided for driving the shaft for liftingthe door, this driving means being conventionally illustrated at 13. Thecounterbalance springs 14 have one end connected to the shaft and theother end anchored to the building or other fixed part.

The several door sections of the embodiment illustrated compriserectangular frames 15 and the panels 16. The door sections desirablyhave coacting rabbeted edges 17, as illustrated in the drawing. Thesections are connected by hinges 18 at the ends of the sections whichalso serve as supports for the spindles 19 of the track engaging rollers20. End cables 201 are connected to the bottom section adjacent itslower edge, see Fig. 4.

The embodiment illustrated also includes an intermediate lift cable 22and a winding drum 23 therefor. This cable is disposed on the outer sideof the door to permit inward swinging of the sections as the door opens,see Fig. 3.

To prevent buckling of the elongated door sections under the load towhich the lower sections are subjected when the door is closed and inopen movement of the door as a result of driving the shaft 11, the doorsections comprising the frame 15 are desirably provided with a pluralityof upright stiles 23 and diagonally disposed strut or brace pieces 24.The bottom door section having these features is reinforced againstcollapsing under the load of the upper sections both when in supportedengagement with the sill, designated by the numeral 50, see Fig. 3, andthe load to which it is subjected when the door is opened and closed.

To further reinforce or rigidity the bottom and in some cases theadjacent sections of the door horizontal reinforcing rails 25 areprovided, these being secured to the sections to project inwardlytherefrom and they also serve as struts for the brace cables as will bepointed out. In the embodiment illustrated these reinforcing members areof channel section.

In the embodiment illustrated the lower door section is provided withtwo of these longitudinal reinforcing members as the load thereon isvery great in these wide doors, the lower reinforcing member beingdesignated by the numeral 26. The intermediate cable 22 is connected tothe bottom door section by the anchor 27. These wide doors are commonlyprovided with a plurality of intermediate hinges, however, only one isindicated in the accompanying drawing at 271. V

The longitudinal reinforcing members 25 and 26 are quite eifective inpreventing the torsional bending or twisting of the sections but they donot counteract the tendency for the sections tobuckle inwardly on theirhinged connections. This inward buckling tendency is overcome by one ormore bracing cables 31 which are connected at their upper endsto theinwardly projecting anchor bracket 29 secured to an intermediate doorsec-. tion and corresponding anchor bracket 30, secured to the bottomdoor sections, desirably adjacent itslower edge as illustrated in Fig.3. The flexible brace cable31 is connected to its ends to these.brackets and isrin thrust supported engagement with the reinforcing members 25which serve as struts therefor when the door is in closed position asshown in Figs. 3 and 5.

These bracing cables 31 are desirably provided with turnbuckles 32 whichenable their adjustment after they are attached to the anchoringbrackets and also to compensate for any stretch which may occur afterbeing adjusted. As the door sections swing on their hinges relative'toeach other in opening and closing movement as illustrated in Fig. 4,these bracing cables swing away from theirstruts or swing out ofsupported engagement with their struts and the arrangement is such as topermit this swinging movement. The bracing cables 31 are desirably offlexible material such as twisted wire cable stock which permits bowinginwardly as illustrated.

To prevent or minimize sagging of the long door sections in openposition an intermediate upper rail 33 is provided and this has adownturned end 34 positioned in the path of the auxiliary rollers 35mounted on the door sections in alignment with the track.

In the modified form or embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig.four sections designated by the numerals 36, 37, 38 and 39 of the doorare braced against inward buckling by the brace cable 40 which extendsbetween the upper anchoring bracket 41 on the upper section 39 of thesesections and the lower anchoring member 42 on the lower sections 36. Aturnbuckle 43 is provided for properly tensioning the brace cable 40when the sections are in aligned position. In this embodiment theintermediate lifting cable 22-A is con nected to the bottom section at45. The sections in this embodiment are indicated as being of solidpanel type. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the struts 44 are alsopreferably a brace or reinforcing members for the sections.

With this arrangement of parts the hingedly connected door sectionseffectively resist buckling and distorsion stresses which are inherentlyincident to wide doors.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments oradaptations of my invention as it is believed this disclosure willenable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the invention as maybe desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An upwardly acting door comprising a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor sections including a sill engaging section, side tracks comprisingupright sections, horizontally disposed uppersections and curvedintermediate sec-- tions mergingly associated with said upright andupper sections, an intermediate horizontal track disposed betweenrand inspaced parallel relation to said upper side track sections and having adownwardly curved forward end, said door sections being provided withtrack engaging rollers at their ends coacting with said side tracks andwith rollers disposed on the inner sides thereof in aligned relation tosaid intermediate track to supportingly engage the same as the door ismoved to and while disposed in open position end and intermediate liftcables connected to the bottom door section adjacent the lower edgethereof and disposed at the outer sides of'the door when it is in closedposition, s'aidcables being substantially uniformly tensioned, saidbottom door section having a longitudinally extending reinforcing memberdisposed upon the inner side thereof and projecting inwardly theredfrom, brace anchor brackets mounted on the inner side of the bottomrdoorsection adjacent the bottom thereof and on the door section adjacentthereto to project inwardly therefrom on opposite sides of saidreinforcing member on said bottom section, and a flexible brace memberconnected to said brackets and supportedly engaging said longitudinaldoor section reinforcing member which constitutes a strut elementtherefor when the 'A door is in closed position, said brace membersacting to support the door sections to which said brace member isconnected against outward buckling on their. hinged connection when thedoor is in closed position, the flexibility of said brace member beingsuch as to permit relative swinging of the door sections on their hingesas the door is opened and closed.

2. An upwardly acting door comprising a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor sections including a sill engaging bottom section, trackscomprising upright sections, horizontally disposed upper sections andcurved; intermediate sections mergingly. associated with said uprightand upper sections, said door sections being provided with trackengaging rollers at their ends coacting with said side tracks and withrollers disposed on the inner sides thereof in aligned relation to saidintermediate track to supportingly engage the same as the door is movedto and while disposed in open position, said bottom door section havinga longitudinally extending reinforcing member disposed upon the innerside thereof and projecting, inwardly therefrom, brace anchor brackets,mounted on the inner side of the bottom door section adjacent the bottomedge thereof and on the door section adjacent thereto to projectinwardly therefrom on opposite sides of said reinforcing member on saidbottom section, and a flexible brace member connected to said bracketsand supportedly engaging said longitudinal door section reinforcingmember which constitutes a strut element therefor when the door is inclosed position, said brace members acting to support the door sectionsto which said brace member is connected against outward buckling ontheir hinged connection when the door is, in closed position, theflexibility of said brace member being such as to permit relativeswinging of the door sections on their hinges as the door is opened andclosed.

3. An upwardly acting door comprising a plurality ofhingedlyconnecteddoor sections including a sill engaging bottom section,tracks comprising. upright sections, horizontally disposed uppersections and curved intermediate sections mergingly associated with saidupright and upper sections, said door sections being provided with trackengaging rollers at their ends coacting with said side tracks and withrollers, disposed on the inner sides thereof in aligned relation to saidintermediate track to supportingly engage the same as the door is movedto and while disposedin open position, said bottom door section having alongitudinally extending reinforcing member disposed upon the inner sidethereof and projecting inwardly therefrom, brace anchor brackets mountedon the inner sidesof the bottom door section adjacent the bottom edgethereof and on the door section adjacent thereto to project inwardlytherefrom on opposite sides of said reinforcing member on said bottomsection, and a flexible brace member connected to said brackets andsupportedly engaging said longitudinal door section reinforcing memberwhich constitutes a strut element therefor when the door is in closedposition, said brace member acting to support the door sections to whichsaid brace member is connected against outward buckling on their hingedconnection whenthe door is in closed position, the flexibility of saidbrace member being such as to permit relative swinging of the doorsections on their hinges as the door is opened and closed, said bracememgaging bottom section, side tracks comprising upright sections,horizontally disposed upper sections and curved intermediate sectionsmergingly associated with said upright and upper sections, anintermediate horizontal track disposed between and in spaced parallelrelation to said upper side track sections and'having a downwardlycurved forward end, said door sections being provided with trackengaging rollers at their ends coacting with said side tracks and withrollers disposed on the inner sides thereof in aligned relation to saidintermediate track to supportingly engage the same as the door is movedto and while disposed in open position, end and intermediate cablesconnected to the bottom door section adjacent the lower edge thereof anddisposed at the outer sides of the door when it is in closed position,said cables being substantially uniformly tensioned, a flexible bracemember connected to the bottom door section and to a second section ofthe door to extend across the hinge connections for the sectionsconnected by the brace member, said brace member acting to support thesections against outward buckling on their hinge connection when thedoor is in closed position and the brace is in supported engagement withthe strut, the brace member being collapsible to permit relativeswinging movement of the sections so connected on their hinges as thedoor is opened and closed, the brace member including a turnbuckle foradjustment thereof.

5. An upwardly acting door comprising a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor sections including a sill engaging bottom section, trackscomprising upright sections, horizontally disposed upper sections andcurved intermediate sections mergingly associated with said upright andupper sections, said door sections being provided with track engagingrollers at their ends coacting with said side tracks and with rollersdisposed on the inner sides thereof in aligned relation to saidintermediate track to supportingly engage the same as the door is movedto and while disposed in open position, cables connected to the bottomdoor section adjacent the lower edge thereof and disposed at the outersides of the door when it is in closed position, a brace memberconnected to the bottom door section and to a second section of the doorto extend across the hinge connections for the sections connected by thebrace member, said brace member acting to support the sections againstoutward buckling on their hinge connection when the door is in closedposition, the brace member being collapsible to permit relative swingingmovement of the sections so connected on their hinges as the door isopened and closed.

6. An upwardly acting door comprising a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor sections including a sill engaging bottom section, trackscomprising upright sections, horizontally disposed upper sections andcurved intermediate sections mergingly associated with said upright andupper sections, said door sections being provided with track engagingrollers at their ends coacting with said side tracks and with rollersdisposed on the inner sides thereof in aligned relation to saidintermediate track to supportingly engage the same as the door is movedto and while disposed in open position, cables connected to the bottomdoor section adjacent the lower edge thereof and disposed at the outersides of the door when it is in closed position, a flexible brace memberconnected to the bottom door section and to a second section of the doorto extend across the hinge connections for the sections connected by thebrace member, and a strut element on at least one of the door sectionsso connected by said brace member is supportedly engaged when the dooris in closed position, said brace member acting to support the sectionsagainst outward buckling on their hinge connection when the door is inclosed position, the brace member being collapsible to permit relativeswinging movement of the sections so connected on their hinges as thedoor is opened and closed, the brace member including a turnbuckle foradjustment thereof.

7. In combination with a vertically acting door having a plurality ofhorizontally elongated hingedly door connected sections, means foropening and closing said door comprising upright tracks at the ends ofthe door curving inwardly at the top, rollers on the ends of said doorsections laterally supporting and guiding said door from said tracks,end support cables secured to the lower section of the door andextending upwardly along the outer side of the door, lifting meansmounted above said door and connected to raise and lower said cables, astrut member secured to the inner side of one of said door sections andprojecting inwardly therefrom, a brace cable disposed on the undersideof and secured to two of said door sections in generally opposedrelation to said intermediate cable and extending in laterally supportedengagement across the inner edge of said strut means, and means drawingthe brace cable tight in the upright position of the lower sections ofthe door to resist inward buckling of the door sections under theinfluence of upward lifting stress applied by said intermediate cableand the weight of the door upon the lower sections when the door isclosed.

8. A horizontally elongated vertically sliding door arranged to close adoor opening in a building comprising a plurality of horizontal sectionsextending completely across the door and hingedly connected alonghorizontal hinge lines to swing inwardly of the door, upright guiderails extending along the sides of said door opening and curvinginwardly to horizontal reaches above the door opening, rollers on theends of said door sections guidingly supported in said rails, anauxiliary rail positioned between said upper horizontal reaches andextending parallel thereto with a downturned end positioned adjacent thedoor opening, auxiliary support rollers carried by said door sectionsarranged to engage and roll along the top of said auxiliary rail whensaid door is open, lift cables connected to a lower section of the doorand extending vertically to winding drums adapted to wind up and pay outsaid cables, one of said cables being positioned intermediate of theends of said door and extending downwardly along the outer side of thedoor, horizontally elongated reinforcing members secured to the innersides of part of said door sections and extending laterally inwardlyfrom the door, a flexible brace member secured to the inner sides of twosections of the door and extending transversely across the hinge line oftwo adjacent door sections opposite said intermediate cable, said anchorcable extending in taut contacting engagement with said reinforcingmembers when said door is closed.

9. A horizontally elongated vertically sliding door arranged to close adoor opening in a building comprising a plurality of superimposedhorizontal sections extending completely across the door and hingedlyconnected along horizontal hinge lines to swing to one side of the door,upright guide rails extending along the sides of said door opening andcurving to horizontal reaches above the door opening, rollers on theends of said door sections guidingly supported in said rails, liftcables connected to the lower section of the door and extendingvertically to winding drums adapted to wind up and pay out said cablesbeing positioned intermediate of the ends of said door and extendingdownwardly along the opposite side of the door from said one side, and abrace member secured to said one of two sections of the door and inspaced relation thereto and extending transversely across the hinge lineof two adjacent door sections, said brace member being taut when saiddoor is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,438,047 Lotz Dec. 5, 1922 1,931,166 McCloud Oct. 17, 1933 2,083,467Morris June 8, 1937

